


Journey to Somewhere

by CabbageLord



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Dragon Ball AU, I just like having my babies kick ass okay, I'll add more tags as i go, I'll tag as I go, Long haired victor, Multi, Pretty much everyone shows up at some point - Freeform, There's 20000 fics on here and not one is dragon ball leave me, This starts in early dragon ball where everyone is a little shit, Victor can curse like a sailor, Victor starts off 16, Watch them all grow up, Yes you read that right, Yuuri has a tail, and Yuuri is 12
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-29
Updated: 2017-07-29
Packaged: 2018-12-08 15:09:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11649129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CabbageLord/pseuds/CabbageLord
Summary: Maybe. Just maybe..."How about you come along with me then?"Yuuri jumps and looks at Victor as if he had grown a second head."Wha-!?""Yes, that's it! You can come along with me! That way you can still keep a hold of your Dragon Ball until we collect them all! Then when it's all over, you can have it back! That's a perfect idea!"





	Journey to Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, I was really hesitant about uploading this, because I was scared of the kind of response I'd get. However, in the end, I decided "fuck it" and finished this in about a few months.  
> I will be using some plot points from the original Dragon Ball, however, I will also be creating my own "sagas" for later down the road.  
> Anyways, I really hope you guys enjoy this! It took me a long time to finish so I hope it'll get a good response from you guys!

Yuuri Katsuki. Everyone in the small town of Hasetsu knew him. He was a young well mannered boy with the blackest of hair and the brownest of eyes. He was the son of Hiroko and Toshiya Katsuki, the owners of Yu-Topia Katsuki, a hot springs that welcomed both Hasetsu's citizens as well as outsiders who just happened to be passing through.

Yuuri was one of the main reasons so many people come to visit. Outsiders especially. They come to confirm a piece of information told to them that seemed so ridiculous, but in the end always turned out true.

He had a monkey tail.

When people first saw it, they'd be shocked at first. But then the shock wore off and they would fawn and coo at the furry appendage before asking to touch it. Afterwards, they would go and continue their stay.

Yuuri having a tail wasn't so weird. There were many animal people in the world. Hell, the King was an anthropomorphic dog for crying out loud. But for a human to possess animal traits at all was pretty bizarre.

The people, adults mostly, had come to accept it. According to Mari, Yuuri's older sister, when said boy was only a baby, people had begun spreading rumors.  _'Did Hiroko partake in some sick bestiality act?'_ or ' _Was that boy created in the government? Or tested on at least?'_ But the rumors died down real quick. Lots of adults regretted what they said as they watched Yuuri grow up.

Yuuri was a sweet boy, and he was polite to everybody. His appetite was something that didn't surprise people now a days. He could eat anything you put on his plate (the elders loved Yuuri especially for this). He had the biggest appetite, and ate more than a normal person. It was surprising that he never choked considering how fast he would eat. Whatever weight he gained was easily lost.

As stated before, adults had come to accept Yuuri with his tail. Kids on the other hand...well, they were a different story. In the beginning, kids that were the same age, older, and younger had picked on Yuuri. Hitting, kicking, verbally harassing him. The worse things they did was pull on Yuuri's tail. Oh, it was absolutely  _terrible._  All the strength would completely leave his body and he always found himself on all fours, barely managing to not fall on his face. Yuuri would've done something, but at that time he was scared. He didn't wanna make things worse.

That went on for a while. But, during one incident, Yuuri seemingly snapped and delivered a clean ass punch to the kid closest to him, surprisingly knocking him unconscious. Word of that specific incident spread, and a majority of the kids in Hasestu decided to let him be. The ones that still tried to pick on him were knocked on their asses real quick. Now, the kids just ignore him really.

After the bullying incidents, Yuuri's parents used the spare money they had and signed him up to take fighting classes (it was more or less for self defense purposes since they didn't know about how Yuuri already knocked out a kid). Soon after starting, he deemed it all pointless, since, surprisingly, he was the best in that class. When he started, he was pretty chubby, but he lost that weight quick. Even then he was still fast, and he could hit the hardest. Even in physical education at school he was at the top of the class. Everyone said it was just natural talent. 

Yuuri was better, naturally. No one knew why or how. Despite this, the level Yuuri was at, while it was high, he would soon come to learn that he is barely at the tip of the iceberg.

Until then, people would believe Yuuri to be a strong child who would never get knocked down.

If only they had seen Yuuri get hit by a hover bike that day. If only they had seen him fly a ways away in a boneless heap.

Ah, but then again...he was perfectly fine afterwards, so maybe that probably doesn't completely count if he didn't even stay down. 

* * *

 

"Yuuri."  Yuuri Katsuki looks up from lacing up his shoes, gaze meeting his mothers. Hiroko smiles gently, the dimples on her round face showing. Rather than Yuuri who woke up early to leave, Hiroko was up early to wait for a new shipment of sake and bath robes for the hot springs. "Are you going out today?"

Yuuri nods and jumps to his feet, a smile on his face. Having a filled belly and minty fresh breath, he was ready to get his day started. "Yep! I'm gonna go see Yuuko and Takeshi at the ice rink!" he declares, chocolate brown eyes sparkling behind his glasses.

Yuuko and Takeshi were Yuuri's only friends. They were the one of the few who never teased Yuuri about his tail. They were in awe of it, and loved to run their fingers along the brown fur, complimenting on how soft it was. Before Yuuri started fending for himself, Yuuko and Takeshi were usually the ones to help him out. His sister on some occasions but that's a story for another day.

"Alright well, be careful, okay? And if you have time, be sure to visit Mrs. Reynard? I have a feeling she doesn't have much time before she...." Hiroko trails off, hands clasped to her chest. Yuuri slowly nodded, his brows furrowed. 

"I will!" He declares, giving his mother a tight squeeze, holding on long enough to inhale her comforting scent before pulling away and walking out into the cold morning.

Once outside Yuuri slipped his hands into the pockets of his while wrapping his tail around his waist, hiding it under the hem of the sweater. The morning chill was already beginning to take effect on him, and his first priority was to make sure that his tail wouldn't freeze. It happened once before and Yuuri spent a whole hour soaking the furry appendage in the hot springs. 

There weren't many people out that morning. A few hover cars passed as well as a few land ones. That kind man who was always fishing was already up and doing what he was best known for. Yuuri made sure to greet him as he passed, gaining the same friendly greeting in response. Across the street, some people were opening up their shops, getting ready for another day to sell what they had. That one old lady who's name always slipped Yuuri's mind waved with a smile on her old and tired face. Yuuri was quick to wave back, his smile as bright as hers.

A small yip caught Yuuri's attention. When looking forward, the young boy walked a little faster, putting a little bounce in his step as well. "Mari!" he called out, taking his hands out of his pockets to wave. 

His older sister smiled and waved as she got closer, their toy poodle Vicchan pulling her along with the dark red leather leash. 

"Are you on your way home?" Yuuri asks as he bends down to pet his dog once he was close enough. Mari nods, smiling as she watched the interaction between her baby brother and his dog. "I finished walking Vicchan a while ago but..." She trails off, clearing her throat. Yuuri pauses in running his fingers through Vicchan's fluffy brown curls and looks up at his sister.

Mari sniffed. Her cheeks were tinted pink, as was the very tip of her nose. She cursed and fished a crumpled tissue out from her heavy brown and black jacket. Yuuri watched his sister as she blew her nose, heavily exhaling when she finished. A small cloud of air escaped her mouth from the cold, disappearing as soon as it was released.

"But what?" Yuuri asks, reaching up to push his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose. He could barely catch that look of sadness in his sisters eyes. It was definitely there. And Yuuri found himself worrying. Had something bad happened while she was walking Vicchan?

"I decided to stop and visit Mrs. Reynard."

Oh.

"How is she?" Yuuri timidly asks, already feeling a sense of dread in his belly. It was a feeling that actually hurt. As if someone took a strong hold of your innards and squeezed before pulling them down into the lower parts of your abdomen. 

Mari sighed and tightened her hold on Vicchan's leash. Said dog whimpered slightly, his tail flat across the cement of the sidewalk as he sat. He could sense the tense atmosphere.

"She...passed away last night. I went to see her, and her daughter-in-law answered in tears. She died in her sleep, Yuuri. It was peaceful." Yuuri felt his breath hitch. Eyes widening behind his glasses, all other sounds were blocked out and the pounding of a heartbeat was all he could hear.. 

_Thump thump._

"Aw, Yuuri..."

_Thump thump._

"Yuuri..."

The young boy flinched as he felt his sisters fingers graze his face. Her fingertips found their way under the lens of his glasses and gently wiped away the tears that formed but had yet to fall. He was unaware that he had begun to cry.

Mrs. Reynard was a very old anthropomorphic fox woman. Her fur, according to Hiroko, used to be such a vibrant red orange but faded into a brownish color as the years passed. Yuuri was fond of her. Mrs. Reynard treated him with the utmost kindness. In the beginning of Yuuri's bullying, he would find her and she would treat his wounds as he drunk a cup of tea that she would always have ready. She even gave Yuuri tips on how to keep his tail well groomed. Yuuri really did love that woman. She was like a grandmother to him.

Other than that, despite how old she was, she had an abundance of energy, and taught Yuuri how to fight, all on her own. Maybe such an early start was the reason why Yuuri was better in his classes. 

She didn't have much family left. Her second son, only 22 at that time, had, for some odd reason, left the safe boundaries of Hasetsu and was devoured by a dinosaur in one of the nearby forests. Oh how she cried. Now her only family left was her oldest son and his wife and children.

She was such an amazing woman, with a big heart. By the time the day would end, everyone in Hasetsu would know of the dreadful passing. They would all mourn. Losing such a nice woman is truly sad.

Yuuri was shaken from his thoughts at the feel of warm lips pressing against his forehead. Mari had pushed his hair back for better access, allowing the hair to fall back into place as she pulled away. 

"I know, Yuuri, I know. It's sad, I know." she cooed, reaching in and pulling out another clean tissue from her pocket. 

With hands shaking ever so slightly, he took the tissue and waited for his sister to remove his glasses before he dabbed at his eyes, blowing his nose right after. His nose was usually always quick to get snotty whenever his eyes teared up. It was really bothersome, truthfully. There wasn't always tissues or napkins nearby, so he would always have to use his sleeves or something. It sucked.

Mari waited for him to finish before slipping his glasses back onto his face. "Yuuri, what were you doing out today this early in the morning?" she questioned, trying to change the subject. Something to stray his mind away from what he had been told. She took his dirty tissue and slipped it into her pocket.

Yuuri sniffles. "I...was going to the ice rink to see Yuuko and Takeshi..." his voice was small and wavered slightly. He was trying not to cry again. 

"Why are you going to the ice rink to see them?"

Yuuri takes a deep breathe before slowly exhaling. "Today is Takeshi's birthday." Mari nods.

"Well then, I should let you be on your way. Have fun with your friends, okay?" Mari smiles when Yuuri nods in response.

The little boy let's a small smile grace his lips when Vicchan hops on his hind legs, barking to get his attention. He chuckles and scratches him behind his ears, earning a yip and playful bite at his thumb.

"Mhm. I'll see you later, Mari." Yuuri says. Mari places one last kiss on his forehead and watches as he runs off, keeping his pace until he was well out of sight.

The female Katsuki sighs and resumes in walking with Vicchan. She would have to tell their Mother the news as well. It truly is a sad thing to hear. About someone dying. Yuuri was so young. He was a kid. Unlike Mari, who was well over 17, Yuuri could not have understood the concept of death well enough to truly mourn. Yes, he'll be sad at first, but a couple hours will pass and he'll be playing and laughing. That's how most kids were at least. But the older you got, the more you would be able to understand things such as death. And it would affect you so much more than it would have if you were a child.

"To me, at least." Mari says aloud. Vicchan softly barks as he trotted along side her. She smiles softly down at the little pooch.

She knew Yuuri would be fine. And she prayed that he wouldn't have to lose anyone else while he was still a kid. He deserves a happy childhood.

* * *

 

By the time Yuuri had made it to the rink, it had warmed up a bit. He removed his baby blue sweater and unwrapped his tail. It would be cold once he got in, but he figured he could just wrap the sweater around his waist and leave the tail hanging freely under it so it wouldn't be suffocating the whole visit.

On the way over, Yuuri's mind slowly forgot about the news of Mrs. Reynards passing. Instead he began to think of the things he would be doing with his two best friends. It was Takeshi's birthday and Yuuri was excited to give him his gift. It wasn't really much but knowing Takeshi, it would be enough.

Walking in the front, Yuuri saw Yuuko's mother behind the counter, placing old worn out skates on their racks. When she noticed him she gave a warm greeting. Yuuri did the same before walking to where the ice was, a ways away behind double glass doors. He noticed the numerous fingerprints that were spattered across the canvas of the glass. Someone would have to wipe those all off. Honestly, there were handles for a reason. 

Had someone heard Yuuri say that and then proceed to watch his next move, he probably would've been called a hypocrite. He ignored the handles completely and pushed the left door open with his bare hands, adding his own small fingerprints on the dirty glass. Goddamit Yuuri.

He could feel the cold from the ice. It nipped at his skin and he could already feel the goosebumps rising from his arms. A ways away he could make out two figures already lazily gliding together on the ice, the sound of blades slicing it piercing the air. He could very well make out their hushed whispers. Yuuri always did have better hearing than most of the people in town. It's both a curse and a blessing. A blessing to hear a mother a ways away singing a lullaby to her infant, her tone soft and sweet. And then to hear a sigh filled with love as her baby fell asleep. But a curse to suddenly wake up in the middle night and find out that your parents are still sexually active in the worst way possible. Not that there is even a good way to find that out? One would not actually want to find out?

Yuuko was the first to notice him. She called his name loudly in that sweet voice of hers, skating over to the barrier that separated the ice from the rest of the room. Her brown hair flew behind her as she skid to a stop. "You made it!" she gushed, cheeks flushed pink from both the cold as well as her happiness. And from what Yuuri heard between her and Takeshi only a moment ago, embarrassment was mixed in as well.

Yuuri gives a closed mouth smile. Takeshi comes up behind Yuuko with a grin. "Yuuri! How have you been?" he asks. Yuuri fidgets and reaches into the right pocket of his jeans. "G-good! U-um...Happy Birthday, Takeshi!" he shoves his hand forward, 200 Zeni clutched in his palm. "I-I saved up what I could! So I hope it's enough."

Takeshi pauses for a moment before laughing and taking the money, reaching over the barrier to ruffle the younger boys hair with his free hand afterwards. "Ah, Yuuri, I would've been fine if you hadn't gotten me nothin'. Thanks though little buddy!" Yuuri puffs out his cheeks and reaches up to fix his hair as Takeshi and Yuuko walk off of the ice, placing on worn out skate guards.

Yuuri tried. He really did try to get into the hobby of skating. Yeah, it was fun at first, but he grew bored. So very, very bored. He didn't have many hobbies that excited him anymore. Matches in his fighting classes were one of the few that did, but he always won so it got boring sometimes. Beating down his bullies in the beginning definitely made him feel a certain way. But that died down real quick as well when kids stopped picking on him. It seemed like fighting in general was in his blood, but he didn't know why. He couldn't recall anyone he took after.

"Hey Yuuri," Yuuko starts as she and the younger boy sat on the bench a ways away from the ice, waiting for Takeshi to get something from the locker rooms "I brought that one soft brush you like. Can I groom your tail?" There was a pleading look in her eyes. She was silently begging him to let her touch his tail. Yuuko liking Yuuri's tail was an understatement. She was high key  _obsessed_ with it. Years ago, she spotted Yuuri across a room and ran to him, asking to pet the furry limb. That was how they met. Ever since, with Yuuri's permission, she would pet it, comb it, and tie cute ribbons around it. Not to tightly to the point where blood circulation would be cut off, but tight enough to where the ribbons couldn't fall.

Not wanting to tell her 'no', Yuuri let her. With gentle hands, the older girl combed his tail, humming softly. Having people treat his tail gently was amazing. As a child, Hiroko would pet it lightly in order to help him sleep. It was a good feeling. It's a shame that that good feeling had to be short lived.

"I'm back!" Takeshi calls as he lightly jogs their way. Yuuko stops from grooming Yuuri's tail and the little boy had to stop himself from whining. He just watched as Yuuko smiled, placing the brush back into her small purple bag. Yuuri could see wipes and assortments of basic and simple make-up. Cheap little lip glosses and mascara as well as a small bottle of nail polish. Things like that. It's nice to see that she's getting into more mature things now.

"Okay so," Takeshi starts, reaching into his pocket, "As you both know, I can get my permit to drive vehicles soon. So," he pulls out a capsule with an orange label "Check it out!"

Both Yuuko and Yuuri gave similar reactions. "Wow! That's a Hoi-Poi Capsule!" Yuuko breathed in awe. Yuuri took in the state of the capsule. The metal was shiny and clean, no scratches in sight. And the bright orange label looked to be untouched, no faded marks anywhere.

"The capsule looks like it's in perfect condition." he says. Takeshi grins, rubbing his index finger over the little button of the capsule.

"Well of course it is! Some distant relatives bought this for me straight from Capsule Corporation as a birthday gift." 

"Really!?" Yuuko and Yuuri asked in unison. Capsule Corporation was the most famous company in the world, as well as the most richest. They're the ones who invented the Hoi-Poi Capsules and provided most of their tech to other cities on Earth.  To buy a product straight from them would be an honor, but you would've just killed your wallet considering how expensive products straight from the source was. Rest in Peace.

"The Capsule Corporation?? The one in West City??" Yuuko asks. She looked like she just couldn't believe it. Takeshi nods, pocketing the capsule.

"Yep! And to avoid it getting destroyed, I'm saving to buy my own capsule case. And little Yuuri helped me a lot with that!" Yuuri flushed at the mention of himself. Nonetheless, he was glad he could help.

"Do you know what kind of vehicle it is?" he asks.

The older boys nods. "It's not a typical land vehicle. It's a hover vehicle! Isn't that amazing? Once I get my permit, I can drive you guys around town!" That seemed fun. Though Yuuri didn't have any places in Hasetsu that he needed to go that required a car. Most of the places he goes to is of walking distance. But now that Yuuri thought about it, maybe that offer was directed more towards Yuuko rather than him. Yuuri wasn't an idiot. He knew those two had a thing going on. With a new car, Takeshi can take them on nice dates to a theater or to go buy things at the main shopping center. And Yuuri would be like the son getting left behind at home eating a bowl of soggy ass corn flakes while watching old 90's sitcoms. That didn't seem so bad actually.

Around four or five hours passed and Yuuri decided to leave the love birds alone. Not technically alone since more people started showing up at the rink, but time for themselves to talk and flirt without Yuuri trailing behind like a lost puppy. 

Now as he walked down the sidewalk a couple blocks away from the rink, his sweater held in his arms, Yuuri could see that more people were out and about already. More people driving, people coming in and out of shops, and little kids running around playing tag. Oh shit one fell. Yuuri was about to run over to help but paused once that kid quickly picked himself up and ran after his friends.

Yuuri sighed in relief and kept walking, greeting that kind fisherman again as he passed by. Rather than heading home, Yuuri made his way to an alleyway by the fish market his father usually goes to. As he walked, the alley opened up more and expanded at the end into a cul de sac. It's the first house on the left that Yuuri wished to visit. He could feel a depressing aura cover the house. A small, one story pinkish house that had paint peeling towards the top of the roof and grass that was nice and healthy save for a few yellow patches here and there. The flowers near the front door in the shrubs looked like they were slowly withering away. Yuuri knew someone was coming by to take care of the plants, but it seemed that they haven't come by in a while. In the small parkway was a cheap looking land vehicle. Yuuri couldn't see a Capsule Corp. logo so it must've been from some other tech company. A much lesser known one.

He jogged the rest of the way to the front door. That depressing feeling got stronger. Yuuri could practically smell it. It could've been the trash near the door that hasn't been thrown out yet actually.

Before he could knock, the door was swung open, revealing an adult male anthropomorphic fox. Oh, it was Zoro. Mrs. Reynard's oldest son. His dim eyes lit up in shock when he saw Yuuri, as if he didn't expect to see anyone when he opened the door.

"U-um...Hello." the little boy murmured, avoiding the fox's gaze. His tail lightly flicked from side to side.

Zoro followed the motion of the tail for a moment before his eyes widened slightly. "Are you Yuuri?" his voice was raspy and low. Said boy gulped before slowly nodding. The two never met before, so the only reason he knows of Zoro is from Mrs. Reynards stories and photographs. He looked different as of right now. He looked tired, sad. His eyes drooped as well as his tail, and his clothes look disheveled, as if he hasn't slept and had been up doing god knows what.

Zoro stepped to the side, making room for Yuuri to enter. And he did, albeit hesitantly however. The house felt sad. The once happy and sweet aura had faded and was replaced with all of these negative emotions.

"I...I'm sorry for your loss." He said as he stood in the middle of the living room. The coffee table that used to be there was pushed off to the side, leaving the center uncomfortably bare.

The tension was thick. Yuuri could practically feel himself choking on it as his skin heated up from plain nervousness. Zoro cut the tension quickly with a sharp knife. "Thank you." those words were sincere, and Yuuri could hear him choke once he finished his thanks. As if he was trying not to cry. 

Yuuri watched as Zoro stood silent for a moment before walking down the hall to the right. It gave the little boy time to look around the room. Little picture frames and knick knacks were being packed. And big pieces of furniture like the sofas and armchair were covered in sheets.The big red rug that was in the center of the living room had been rolled up and placed against the wall, revealing the faded wood underneath. It surprised Yuuri just how much got packed even though Mrs. Reynard died just this morning. Although it may seem like things have been getting packed before she died, as if they already knew there was no hope for her so they started putting everything away.

Yuuri didn't see Zoro's wife and kids either. They probably went out, or maybe just went back home. Mari did say his wife was the one who answered this morning after all.

Zoro returned a little bit after, a small white square box in his hand. "Here."

Yuuri felt confusion overtake him as he took the small box, peering down at it. "What's this?" the box looked worn, pieces of the cardboard ripped off, revealing the extra brown layer beneath. The top layer of white had faded into an ugly gray.

Zoro shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants. "My mom said to give that to you. It had to be you who got it, she said." Yuuri felt his eyebrows furrow. Zoro walked away, kneeling in front of a box and rummaged around before standing, empty handed. He seemed like the type to not like to stand still it would seem. "My mom really liked you, Yuuri. So please...whatever that is...take care of it." Yuuri slowly nods, arranging his sweater so it was hanging off of his right arm as he held the small box in his hands. He definitely will. He most definitely will.

The atmosphere grew thick with tension again. There seemed to be nothing to be said between the two anymore. And Yuuri didn't want to see the body, for he feared he would cry. And then Zoro might cry. And then it would be sad and awkward and just...Yuuri just couldn't do it.

He waited until he left the house as was already walking out of the alley. Not to cry. But to open the box to see what was inside. He thought it would've been rude to open it in the house.

He slowly removed the lid with one hand. The item inside made Yuuri stop in his tracks.

Inside was a shiny clear orange sphere, about 3 inches in diameter. There were four small red stars that resided in the middle, almost floating. It was absolutely beautiful.

His tail wagged happily too. He picked up the orb, holding it up to get a better look at it. It wasn't exactly heavy truthfully. It felt right to be held in his hand.

Rather than feeling any sadness, Yuuri felt happy. She thought of him to the very end.

And so, while the sun still shined, clouds littering the sky, Yuuri ran home. He kept the pace easily. He crossed the streets when lights were lit green and steered clear of running into people. When people told him hello, he replied with a fair amount of enthusiasm.

There was a street up ahead. The light was green. Yuuri continued to run and didn't notice when the light flickered to red at the last minute until it was too late.

There was a shout. A warning. Yuuri reacted a bit to slowly. He turns as he runs and his eyes widen behind the thick frames of his glasses. The person trying to stop the hover bike he or she was piloting was yelling at him. Telling him to be careful. There was a falter in Yuuri's steps and he paused for a moment as he watched the hover bike skid his way.

Before he knew it, he and the bike collided, and Yuuri's vision turned to shit as his glasses flew off of his face. He more or less was in shock as he flew back, landing with a hard thud and painfully skidding across the dark cement of the street. He could already feel stings of newly formed scrapes and possibly thick cuts. Gosh he hoped there were no thick cuts.

It was silent for a moment before a girly scream pierced the air. It hurt Yuuri's ears. Then there were frantic footsteps rushing is his direction.

"Ohmygod I hit a kid! Oh no oh no are you dead? Please don't tell me you're dead! I can't go to jail now! Not when I have so much to live for! Do you know what they do to boys like me in prison?? Horrible things!!"

The person's loud babbles left a ringing sensation in Yuuri's ears. He inhaled slowly and quickly sat up, a glare on his face. 

"What was that for!? That really hurt!"

The figure pulled back in , but then slowly smiled wide. "Thank goodness! You're not dead! Look at you, you're not even winded!" 

The figure was male it would seem. But he had long sleek silver hair tied into a loose braid thrown over his shoulder. There as a shine to his hair and the suns rays shone on the crown of his head, giving him a halo of sorts. 

His eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. Yuuri has never seen a shade such as that before. His eye color put both the sky and ocean to shame. His skin was milky, unblemished and the only skin marking in sight was a small mole on the inside of his elbow. This boy didn't look too old. He must've been maybe 4 or 5 years older than Yuuri. At least. All in all, this boy looked like an honest to god Angel.

He didn't really dress like one. Hanging around his neck were a pair of goggles one would wear when driving a topless vehicle to avoid getting wind in their eyes. On his hands were a pair of thick gloves. He wore a short sleeved black shirt tucked into a pair of beige fatigue pants with a pouch connected to his belt loop. And to top it all off, the pants were tucked into a pair of brown boots. It was like he was dressing as...a mechanic?

"Besides, I called out to you. You ran in the middle of the street even though the light was red." Yuuri blinked, zoning back in. Was this guy scolding him? He huffed and stood, looking around for his glasses, sweater, and the new orb he had gotten.

"Well...you were driving to fast! Where are you heading in such a hurry?" Yuuri found his glasses and slipped them on. They weren't cracked so that was good. Now with his glasses on, he did another look over on the new guy. "And where are you from? You're not a Hasetsu resident."

The silverette jumps up, a heart shaped smile on his face. "Wow! You're quite the observant little fella, aren't you?" He walks over to the younger boy, holding out a gloved hand, that heart smile not once wavering. "My name's Victor! Pleasure to meet you!"

Yuuri peered at the and for a moment before letting out a small sigh. This boy obviously had no ill intent whatsoever. He seemed like a nice guy anyway. He slowly placed his hand in Victor's slightly bigger one.

"I'm Yuuri." he followed the trail of the outstretched arm and paused when he caught sight of a thick cut, a trail of blood slowly seeping out. It resided on the inside of his elbow, just above where a vein was.

"You're hurt." Yuuri blinked. Victor was looking at his arms, brows furrowed. Following his gaze, Yuuri saw the small scratches that appeared on the back of his arms. It's obviously from when he got hit.

Pulling his hand out of Victor's, Yuuri reached up and fixed his glasses, clearing his throat in the process and swallowing after.

"Well. You're hurt too." he starts. "And even though you hit me, I guess I should've been more careful when crossing the street so..." he sighs and runs his hands over his arms, being mindful of the scratches. "If it's alright with you, I can take you home and have my mother treat your wound." Victor blinks before enthusiastically nodding, turning and then running towards his hover bike.

Wait, did he actually agree? So quickly? Yuuri looked around for a moment and saw his sweater lying a ways away. The box containing the orb had landed close by. What made Yuuri's heart pound was seeing that the lid had popped open and the orb inside had slid out, resting on the hard ground. As Victor was busy inspecting his hover bike, Yuuri ran over and took a moment to check the orb for any damage. It seemed perfectly fine. No scratches, chips, or cracks. Just some dirt smudges. Breathing a sigh of relief, Yuuri wiped off the dirt and put the orb back into the box before wrapping it up in his sweater.

"Your body must be made of steel, Yuuri." Victor spoke up, his voice a mixture of awe and shock. The sudden statement startled said little boy. Yuuri turns to check out the damage of the bike. It couldn't have been that bad...

Oh.

That _was_  bad. 

The entire front was dented, the engine inside crushed and leaking oil. Yuuri could hear the thick liquid dripping, collecting and creating an ugly brown puddle below. The front window was cracked as well, an array of jagged white lines painting the glass. Yuuri swallowed thickly and fixed his glasses. That was pretty serious damage. Yuuri wondered how he even made it out of an accident like that with only a few scratches.   
"I-I'm sorry about that. I had no idea that my body could cause that much damage..." is Victor angry? Will he demand payment from Yuuri in order to pay for repairs? That looked like an expensive bike. Below the front bumper, Yuuri could barely make out a Capsule Corporation logo. That just made things worse. The cost for repairs on Capsule Corp tech was just too much. Yuuri's allowance wouldn't be enough to even cover the damage to the glass. His poor piggy bank would scream and starve.

Victor ran the tip of his index finger over his bottom lip before smiling. "Don't worry about it, Yuuri!" he reaches down behind the bike, out of Yuuri's field of view. The black haired boy felt his tail twitch as his ears picked up the small clicking of a button being pushed. The hover bike erupted into a cloud of smoke, the one item in its wake after the air cleared being a Hoi-Poi Capsule with a red label with the number 7 on it in black print.

Victor picked up the capsule and reached into his pouch. Yuuri made a noise of surprise as he watched the silverette pull a case from his pocket.  
"You have a case?" he found himself asking before he could stop the seemingly rude question from escaping his lips. His reaction was immediate. Slapping his hands over his mouth with a gasp as his eyes widened. "I'm so sorry for asking!" was his muffled apology.

Victor didn't look offended in the least. Instead he picked up the discarded capsule and walked to the younger boy, where he then opened up the case to show the contents.  
"They're amazing, right?" he asks proudly with a cheeky grin. There were 16 capsules total (17 after Victor placed the capsule containing his broken hover bike in), the biggest being a yellow capsule with the number 1 on it. On the top of the case were labels indicating what was in each capsule. They were all organized neatly, arranged so they could well fit. Yuuri was shocked that Victor had that many capsules as well as a case to store them all. It wasn't his business on how he had gotten them. Capsule Corporation capsules at that. It wasn't his business and yet he still couldn't help but wonder. 

Victor snapped the case closed and slipped it back into his pocket with a smile. He motioned forward with his hand. "Shall we get going?"

Yuuri jumped in surprise before nodding, his hair gently bobbing with the motion. He did an about-face and started walking. Without having to be called, Victor followed closely behind, a little bounce in his step. They hadn't even known each other for ten minutes yet, but Yuuri had quickly concluded that Victor was a naturally happy teen who didn't judge people. Yuuri added that last bit since Victor hadn't brought up his tail once. It was in plain view and hard to miss, but the fact that the teen didn't mention it or act differently with him made Yuuri believe that he didn't care for it. And he was perfectly alright with that.

The trip back home wasn't quiet. Victor commented on a bunch of the scenery they passed and kept asking Yuuri a bunch of questions about himself.

"How old are you Yuuri?"

"12. And you?"

"16 years old~"

"Yuuriiii~ Do you have any girlfriends?"

"No. No, I do not."

"Oh, oh! Well, I'll tell you about my first-"

"No. No, don't do that."

Victor slumped forward and blew a dejected rasberry before jumping and exchanging polite greetings with the friendly fisherman.

"Wow~ The residents here are so much more nicer than the people in West City!" the older boy gushes. Yuuri could make out the entrance of the hot springs a ways away.

"You're from West City? That place is really far from here." he finds himself saying. It was true. West City was really far. What would Victor be doing all the way over here? Save for the ice rink, Hasetsu Castle, and the annual town festivals, there was nothing much that outsiders would even consider to be interesting.

"Of course it's far! See, I'm on a mission-!" Victor cuts himself off and pauses in his walking before squealing like a girl who had just saw a spider and ran ahead. Yuuri yelps and takes a moment to comprehend that Victor is running towards Vicchan, who's sniffing around the front of the hot springs. 

Said dogs ears perk up at the sound of squealing and when he sees a silver haired boy running in his direction, he yips happily and runs to meet him in the middle. Vicchan always was friendly with strangers. Seeing a bubbly human making his way over triggered him in the best way possible.

Yuuri found himself lightly jogging to catch up. There was a smile on his face as he watched Vicchan stand, putting his front paws on the front of Victor's legs, yapping his head off, his entire body moving back and forth just from the force of his wagging tail. If Vicchan liked him, then Victor must be a good person. It was something that Yuuri had come to learn about his dog. That little ball of fur was the best at judging peoples character.

"You're so cute!! Yes you are! Who's a good pupper? You're a good pupper!" Victor cooes, picking up the small toy poodle and spinning him around. The little canine was practically vibrating from the praise. Yuuri took a step forward, a smile on his face.

"That's my poodle Vicchan? He is cute, huh?" he asks, the smallest hint of pride in his voice. Vicchan was fluffy and small. Everyone who met him instantly fell in love. It seems Victor was no exception.  
The silverette nods and holds Vicchan close, laughing as his face was assaulted in slobbery kisses. "Yepyepyep! He's just as cute as my own Makkachin!"  
Yuuri's smile faltered the tiniest bit but never completely left. Makkachin? Why did that name sound so familiar?

"Oh! Yuuri!" At the sound of his name as well as hearing the clank of a filled crate being dropped, Yuuri looked ahead and saw the small and soft form of his mother running towards him. Before he knew it he was wrapped in protective arms and buried into a comfy chest that radiated warmth.  
"I heard what happened. Are you okay?" she murmurs, running her fingers through his midnight hair. Yuuri inhaled, overwhelming his senses with the comforting scent of his mother.   
"Yeah. I'm okay now." he wrapped his arms around his mothers waist and lightly squeezed before pulling away.

"Mom, this is Victor. I was wondering if you can maybe patch him up? We got into...a little accident." he gestures to the silver haired teen, who watched with a smile before he set Vicchan back onto the ground. Hiroko examined him before lightly gasping at the wound on his elbow.

"Oh dear, come on in!" she reached over and grabbed Victor's hand, leading him into their home. Yuuri stood and watched for a moment before he felt a nudge on his ankle. Little Vicchan booped his snout against a clothed leg and looked up, his gaze meeting his masters.

Yuuri smiled and reached down to scratch his dog behind the ears before standing and making his way inside. He didn't have to beckon Vicchan to follow, for the little toy poodle quickly followed as soon as the young boy started walking away. He greeted his father who had come to pick up the crate Hiroko had dropped.

He slid open the front door and walked in before slipping off his shoes. He waited until Vicchan was in before closing the door. He could hear the whirring of the fan from the kitchen. It usually gets really hot in there compared to the rest of the rooms, even when the weather is really cold. Hiroko spends all of her time cooking in there so it's really no wonder why.  
Toshio actually bought that fan for her as a gift a couple years back. It pleased Hiroko greatly and poor Yuuri woke up to the sound of Hiroko giving him her own...gift that night. Oh boy. 

Anyways, Yuuri followed the sound of the fan to the kitchen. Hiroko kept most of the basic medical supplies in the storage closet in there. Usually because whenever someone got hurt they would immediately go to her. So instead of putting it in a medicine cabinet in one of the bathrooms, she chose to keep it close by in the closet. It also helps since Hiroko sometimes injured herself while cooking too.

And yep, there was Victor sitting on a stool, his arm being held in a gentle grip. The bottle of hydrogen peroxide rested on the counter along with some bandages. Hiroko grabbed a new clean rag from one of the drawers near the kitchen sink and poured a bit of the peroxide on it before cleaning Victor's wound. The mentioned teen flinched slightly before relaxing.

"Um...it's not that bad is it?" Yuuri asked as he placed his belongings on the counter beside the medical supplies. Hiroko shakes her head as she finished cleaning up the wound. "No, the cut isn't too deep. He'll be just fine." she turns to place the now dirtied rag on the counter and pauses when she sees Yuuri's sweater and the little box next to the dull bottle of peroxide.

"Yuuri," she starts, turning to look at her son. "What did I tell you about leaving your stuff in places that aren't your room?" Yuuri blinks before realization dawns on him.

"Don't leave my things in places that aren't my room since it could get stolen." he quickly gathers his things before walking out, declaring he would return in a bit.

Hiroko sighs and shakes her head before reaching for self adhesive gauze as well as a gauze pad. "Now," she starts with a smile as she placed the pad over the wound and let Victor hold it in place as she unrolled the gauze wrap.

"What are you doing away from home, Victor Nikiforov?"

* * *

 

"Please. Who would steal my stuff?" Yuuri grumbled as he discarded his sweater onto his unmade bed before taking the box over to his desk. He plops it down on the worn wood, next to his new baby cactus as well as under his old dusty globe that sat above on a small shelf built into the desk.   
It was a damn old desk, so maybe Yuuri could ask his parents for a new one as a birthday present. A new desk made out of mahogany or rosewood. He heard cherry wood was really pretty so he might go with that. The possibilities were endless really. As long as it wasn't teak wood. It didn't really appeal to him as much as other wood types.

Taking the orb out of its box, Yuuri set it down, watching as it rolled a bit before going still. Maybe he could see if there was a small cushion or little stand to set it on. 

His attention was brought to an open magazine that lay near the edge of the desk. Yuuri picked it up and ran his eyes over the page it was left on. Just something about new state of the art hoverboards being released soon. The magazine probably belonged to Mari. She always did like doing research on new technology.

"Still," Yuuri said aloud as he continued skimming through the page, "She didn't have to leave this here. Just because I sometimes let her use my bed to relax since it's more comfortable than hers. She can't just leave her belongings wherever she pleases." with a sigh he closed the magazine and paused as he was met with the front cover.

It was an all too familiar teenage boy with long silver hair falling over his shoulders and aqua blue eyes, dressed in a crisp white button up and black slacks, and his feet were bare. It was a very proffesional look, yet the way the boy acted was anything but. There was a giddy smile on his face as he looked at the camera, arms wrapped tight around a big poodle, whos paws rested on the humans shoulders as their tongue lolled out of their mouth. The dog looked just like a bigger version of Vicchan.

'Wait...' Yuuri walks over and sits on his bed. 'Makkachin...' He remembered the name of Victor's dog. Who was a poodle just like Vicchan. He reads the caption for the picture and feels his breath hitch.

Victor Nikiforov (Right) and his poodle Makkachin (Left) after the Grand Minds Annual Award Ceremony. Find details on pg. 18-19.

Yuuri opened up the magazine again and flips to the pages mentioned in the caption. There was another picture of Victor standing next to and older man who looked almost like him with a golden plaque in his hands. Victor was smiling then, with his silver hair pulled back into a tight high ponytail. But, compared to the smiles Victor had given him, and the smile on the cover, this smile seemed more dim. It was smaller and his azure eyes didn't shine as brightly. The man he was standing next to was obviously his father. The appearances were so similar, save for his father having dark green eyes. That was his father, AKA the one and only Valentin Nikiforov, president of Capsule Corporation as well as the creator of the Hoi-Poi capsules.

Yuuri closed the magazine slowly before chucking is across the room, listening at the satisfying sound of paper smacking plaster. The little boy slowly ran a hand down his face as a sudden thought struck him.

'I just made Victor Nikiforov get into a bike accident.'

* * *

 

Victor flexed his elbow slightly, admiring how well Yuuri's mother had bandaged his skin. Speaking of Yuuri's mother, Victor was quite surprised that she had figured out who he was so quickly. He used the perfect thing as a disguise! That being the pair of thick goggles that he had hanging around his neck instead of wearing over his eyes after his accident with Yuuri (though it occured to him that not wearing the goggles probably gave him away). Even then many people probably figured who he was even with the goggles on. But Victor didn't know that.

It's not like people were looking for him, oh no! His father had known about his departure. But it's not the best to be recognized and then hounded for money, or to be treated a certain way just because he comes from a genius and rich family.

Victor shoved another baby carrot into his mouth before standing up from the stool he sat on. He would have to go soon, but Hiroko had given him a plate of baby carrots before leaving to tend to other things. Victor, being the gentleman that he was, stayed and ate the little demons despite them not being his favorite vegetable to eat. He had stripped off his gloves and placed them to the side before bravely shoving one after another into his mouth. He was more of a raw broccoli type of guy.

Slowly chewing the orange vegetable, Victor reached into his pocket that held his capsule case and felt around before pulling put his most helpful and most prized invention. The Dragon Radar. 

It was leading him in the general area of where Victor currently was, but after his collision with Yuuri, it seem to have broken somewhere on the inside. He couldn't turn it on, meaning that he couldn't find out the exact location of what he was looking for. He could fix it easily though.  
He wasn't at all mad with Yuuri. True, Yuuri should have looked both ways before crossing the street, but Victor knew he shouldn't have been driving as fast as he did. He let his excitement get the best of him. That never ended well.

Victor sighs and deposits the Dragon Radar back into his pocket before picking up another horrid carrot. Before he had the displeasure of putting it in his mouth, little Yuuri rushes in, eyes wide and his tail practically standing at attention. Victor didn't know attachable tails moved. How odd.

"You-!" Yuuri starts, raising a shaky hand and pointing. "You are Victor Nikiforov!" Victor stares at Yuuri before slowly taking a bite out of the carrot he had been holding, the crunch loud in the silence.

"Well? You are, aren't you!?" Yuuri looked like he was about to pass out. Or cry. Probably both. Cry then pass out.  
"Uh...yeah?" Victor spoke after chewing and swallowing.  
Yuuri yelled and dropped down on all fours, head hanging low. "Please forgive me for being so reckless! It was entirely my fault! Don't press charges because our family is really poor and the money we have is money we need to survive and I just-" Yuuri is cut off by loud laughter.  
He looked up to see Victor with his head thrown back, his laughter shaking his entire body. Slowly, Yuuri sat back on his haunches, eyebrows furrowed. Was Victor laughing because Yuuri was so pitiful? He was gonna make his life hell and wring every penny out of his family's bank?

"Oh my goodness..." Victor breathed, looking back down at Yuuri with a flushed face and a large smile on his lips. "You're so funny, Yuuri!"

Yuuri blinked. His tail, which had been standing at attention before, now drooped limp on the floor. Victor took a deep breath before giggling a bit more. "Wow."

"What...?" 

"Yuuri, the thought of pressing charges never even occurred to me! I'm not even upset with you." Victor ran his index finger along the rim of his eye, wiping away tears that had formed from how hard he laughed.  
Yuuri quickly stood up, hope in his eyes. "Really??" his posture then falters and he twiddles his thumbs. "But are you sure? There has to be some way I can repay you..."

Victor waves his hand. "You don't have to do that at all! You're a child after all! Children make mistakes!"

'You more childish than me though and you're only 16...'

Victor grabs his gloves that were left next to the carrots. The plate of carrots left discarded...uneaten. (Victor you shit there was like one carrot left)  
"This is a hot springs right? Would it be alright for me to take a quick soak? I'll pay of course. Then I'll be on my way later tonight."

"Huh?" Yuuri stares dumbfounded at the older boy before coming back to his senses and nods.   
"I-I'll go get you a robe."

* * *

 

If there was one thing Yuuri could have guessed right, it was that Victor had never been to a hot springs before. One would have thought that a place like West City would have something such as that. Last time (and the only time) Yuuri had went, he couldn't ever recall there being something like that. Granted that he was only three at the time but still...

Victor fell in love as soon as he stepped foot into the water. He had out his hair down and opted for putting it up in a high and messy bun. It suited him to be honest.  
When Yuuri went to bring him a towel, Victor had paddled over, asking for him to join. Yuuri politely declined and left him his towel and reminded him where his things were before he left to go take a proper shower in the bathroom that was vertical to Mari's bedroom.

Speaking of which, when she saw him, she made a comment that Yuuri didn't look as sad as he did that morning. Yuuri, with his arms full with his favorite navy blue towel, sleep wear, and personal back body brush, smiled and simply replied that Mrs. Reynard wouldn't have wanted them to waste their lives wallowing in sadness over her. He left Mari standing dumbfounded at the mature response. A second passed before Mari just simply exhaled and smiled before walking into her room. Her little brother was growing up everyday.

A few minutes later and we have Yuuri making a beard out of bubbles, coughing as the said bubbles entered his mouth after he inhaled. It tasted...soapy. He leaned forward into the warm spray of water and let the bubbles slowly be washed away, going and swirling down the drain.

A perk of having a tail is that it's way easier to clean your back. Yuuri let his tail gently grip the back brush and moved it up and down on his skin, the soap on the brush cleaning away all of the sweat and grime from today.  
Another perk is that with a tail scrubbing your back, both of your hands are free so you can also wash your hair.   
Yuuri grabbed the black shampoo bottle that he and his family shared. It was a larger than average bottle (since more than one person was using it) and had fancy white cursive that ran down the side. There was no official scent for the shampoo but the smell was still nice. And it gave your hair volume! Yuuri couldn't really tell the difference after using the shampoo. 

It felt nice to run his fingers through his hair, raking his nails over his scalp. There was always this rumbly sensation in his chest that never got to be released and faded as soon as he was finished rinsing. It was so pleasant and at times made Yuuri he could just do that forever. He can't do things like that outside. People would think it's weird to see him just lazily rubbing his scalp, humming in content. Well, not exactly humming. The humbly rumblies. Something like that.

Once he was done with his hair, he gently began to wash his tail. He always made sure to condition it, for his fur was always so soft after he did that.

When he was finished cleaning his body, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower and onto the rubbery tile mat. It helped to keep the floor dry. If there was one thing Yuuri hated, it was a wet floor. Once when the tile mat was getting cleaned, Mari had finished her shower and when Yuuri walked in to do his business, he slipped on wet tile and landed hard on his bottom, as well as on his tail.

If there was a reason to live, Yuuri just couldn't find it.

Once he dried himself off and slipped on his sleep wear (a pair of sweatpants and an old faded blue shirt that used to belong to his father) Yuuri threw his dirty clothes and towel in the hamper that rested in the corner before he walked out of the bathroom and made sure to close the door. There was a messed up fire detector in the hall and even steam from the bathroom usually sets it off. Toshiya said he would fix it but it seems he just hasn't gotten around to it.

When Yuuri went back downstairs, he found Victor sitting at one of the low tables in the main row, his back turned to the younger boy. He was dressed in the onsen robes, his hair down and draped across his back. A ways away from him was an empty bowl with a freshly used pair of chopsticks and an empty glass. If Yuuri knew his mother (and he knows his mother) she probably gave Victor a nice steaming bowl of Katsudon for dinner.

Speaking of dinner, Yuuri wondered if Hiroko was finished cooking. His stomach always gurgled loudly, and sometimes he could never function well enough if he hadn't gotten his fill. Every night, Hiroko usually takes about 90 minutes making dinner (sometimes with Mari's help. Sometimes with Yuuri's. Sometimes both). She takes around 20-30 minutes making dinner for her, Mari, and Toshiya. The rest of the time is spent making Yuuri's dinner.  
Yuuri's appetite is...very different from other peoples. He needs a lot to feel full. A normal serving doesn't really help whenever he feels hungry. When he eats, he eats fast and has only choked once because he was trying not to laugh at a joke Mari had said.  
If there was one thing Yuuri was still sort of self conscious about, it was letting people see him eat. He ate a lot and he ate quick.   
Mari told him that when he was a baby, Yuuri always cried because he was always so hungry. At first, Hiroko and Toshiya were at their wits end because they didn't know that. They didn't know why he was always crying. The only time Yuuri didn't cry was when he was getting fed, but then he continued to wail as soon as the food was gone. It took everyone to realise Yuuri was just still hungry.   
Everyone in Hasetsu actually loves Yuuri for his appetite. Whatever leftovers they had, they would save it to give to the little boy. Dishes that other people thought were just awful, Yuuri complimented them and said they tasted just fine. The elders especially loved Yuuri since they would always make so much for him and he would eat it. Like grandparents cooking for their grandchild. Unlike the other grandkids however, Yuuri would eat everything put in front of him.

"Yuuri." Yuuri jumped and brought his attention back to Victor, who had turned and was looking at him with a smile. "I know I'm pretty, but staring is rude you know?"  
Yuuri feels his skin flush red when he realizes he had been staring at the older boy while he was deep in his thoughts. "I-I wasn't-I mean, that's not-!" he tried to come up with a reasonable enough excuse. Victor only laughs at his flustered state and turns back to resume what he had been doing.

Yuuri took a moment to compose himself before he sat on the other side of the table, across from Victor. He saw that Victor had a multi tool in his hand, the screwdriver tool being used at that moment. It probably belonged to Victor. The multi tool his family owned was old, green, and was missing a tool that Yuuri had longed forgot about.

In Victor's other hand was a pair of tweezers, which he was using to move around some wires inside of this little device that sat on the table with it's back side taken off and placed to the side.  
The device itself was maybe around 4 inches in diameter, and looked like it could fit well in the palm of your hand. There was a noticeable button on the very top as well as a strap that would allow you to hang the device on something.

"Hey, Victor, what's that thing?" Victor stopped fiddling with the little electronic contraption and looked up at Yuuri. "This?"

He smiles and places his little tools to the side and picks up the small device to show the side that had been pressed against the table, showing a circular screen that slightly bulged out.  
"This, little Yuuri, is called the Dragon Radar. I made it myself!" He spoke with such pride in his voice. Yuuri leaned forward to get a closer look.  
"Wow, you made that? Amazing!" Victor laughs before placing it back on the table and continued to mess with it. Yuuri was able to get a closer look and saw a bunch of wire and small metal discs as well as some chips. There were other pieces he couldn't name but rest assured that they were there too.

"What does it do?" Yuuri sat back comfortably on the floor. It took Victor a moment to reply as he finished screwing something into place before talking.  
"This Dragon Radar is something I made that tells me where these orbs are, called Dragon Balls. The Dragon Balls themselves emit a faint electromagnetic pulse that this baby can pick up easily. It leads me to the precise location of where the Dragon Ball is. It's like...a metal detector!"

"Wow..." Yuuri breathed in awe. "Has it worked for you yet?"

Victor nods and inspects the inside of the radar for a moment before smiling. "Yep! I had already found one with this thing. The two star ball." Victor reaches for the back piece of the Dragon Radar and snaps it back onto the mentioned device.

"Okay, let's see if it's fixed." Yuuri held his breath and watches as Victor picks up the radar, turning it to look at the screen. A second passes and Victor presses the single button on top.

Immediately, loud beeping began to echo through the room.  
"It works!" Yuuri cheers. Victor stares at the screen before smiling widely. "It's beeping. I can see the small icon..." Victor jumped to his feet. "I think it's somewhere in this building!" he looks down at Yuuri. "You wouldn't mind if I looked around, would you?" Yuuri blinks and slowly stands. "S-Sure?"

"Great! Come on, you can come with me! Let's find it together!" he quickly turns and begins walking. He walked in quick long strides. He looked so excited. 

A while of walking led them upstairs and Yuuri felt his breath hitch when they end up stopping in front of the closed door at the end of the hall. The closed door to his bedroom.

Victor noticed the closed door in his way and looked down at Yuuri. "May I open this door?" Yuuri hesitates before slowly nodding. He got a smile in return and watched as Victor reached out, sliding the door open and walking in.

Before Yuuri could even step foot in, Victor immediately yelled.  
"There it is!"

Yuuri walked in and saw that Victor had picked up the orb that was on his desk. The orb that Mrs. Reynard had left him. 

"W-wait, that's-" "It's the four star ball! That makes three Dragon Balls now!" Victor's happy shouts drowned out Yuuri's timid speaking. Yuuri huffed and tried speaking again.

"Victor, I'm sorry, but-," "Who would've thought the Dragon Ball would be in Yuuri's home?"

"Victor, please I-," "Now I just need four more!"

"Victor!" Yuuri shouts. He looks down when he feels Victor's curious gaze on him and takes a deep breath.   
"Victor, I'm sorry. But, I can't let you have my...my Dragon Ball." Much better than just calling it an orb.  
There's a tense silence in the air before Victor speaks.  
"Oh, so it's yours?" Yuuri looks back up and watches the older boy inspect the Dragon Ball in his hand.  
"How much do you want for it?"

Yuuri sputtered, eyes wide. "Victor, I can't sell it to you!" He had just gotten that damn thing today for crying out loud!

"10,000 zeni." Victor offers.

Yuuri quickly walks to the older boy, gently prying it away from his hand. "No, no, I can't give this to you Victor."

"100,000 zeni?" 

"Victor, I can't! A special friend gave this to me! It's not right to give away something that someone gave you! That's so inconsiderate!"

Victor looks away for a moment, contemplating on something.

"Why are you even looking for these? What's so important about these...Dragon Balls?" Yuuri just didn't get it. Sure it was pretty, but what value did it have for Victor? Simple orbs with stars? If someone were to see them, they would probably think of them as nothing more than home decorations, or trinkets. Something that can be put on display somewhere and just collect dust. That's certainly something Yuuri was planning on doing with it. Setting it up on his damn desk and to let it sit there and act pretty while reminding him of just who it was that gave him that thing in the first place.  
Victor looks back at Yuuri, blinking wide. "Give me a minute!"  
With that he quickly rushes out of Yuuri's room. Yuuri drew in a quick breath before going to sit at the edge of his bed.  
He glances down at the...Dragon Ball in his hands, admiring the never fading gleam and the four small floating stars inside. It was sure pretty but there can't have been something valuable about them.

"I'm back!" Victor shouts as he runs back in, a pouch in his hand. He shuts Yuuri's door tight before going to sit at the bed with Yuuri. He dropped himself on the mattress and handed the pouch over to Yuuri.  "Open it."

Yuuri looked at Victor for a second before looking down at the closed pouch. He placed his Dragon Ball in his lap and reached towards the pouch, fingers snapping open the button and lifting the cover flap.  
Yuuri's eyes widened slightly at what he saw inside.  
"These are..."  
Victor nods, laying down on Yuuri's bed rather than sitting, trying to make himself comfortable. He clutched one of Yuuri's pillows like a stuffed animal. "Those are two more Dragon Balls. They look the same, but they all have different amounts of stars inside."

Yuuri reached into the pouch and pulled out both new Dragon Balls. They were both as pretty as his. The one in his right hand had two stars, while the one in his left had six. They weighed the same and shined as brightly.

A few seconds passed with Yuuri gazing in awe at the Dragon Balls, holding and comparing them to his own. His tail was lazily swinging back and forth. Victor witnessed the motion and quirked an eyebrow. Did that damn thing have a self moving function? Not to mention the motion was so fluid. Compared to other movable limbs he has seen, in which their movements were so stiff and squeaky, Yuuri's was swift and quiet.

"Victor." Victor's gaze snapped up to meet Yuuri's. He must've been calling him for awhile, if the slightly irritated expression on his face was anything to go by.  
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the tail slowly curl inwards behind Yuuri's back, moving out of view.

"I'm sorry. What were you asking? I wasn't paying attention." he sits up, still holding the pillow. It wasn't as squishy as his pillows back home. It was thin and worn and limp. Not soft at all either. The pillow case was a faded blue with a noticeable bleach stain in the corner. Not like his white and light blue pillow cases at all.

"I said, that yeah, they're pretty and all, but that still doesn't tell me why you need mine when you already have two of your own." Yuuri spoke this as he put away the two Dragon Balls. He kept his own in his lap and handed the pouch to Victor when he closed it back up.

Victor takes it and stares for a moment before sighing. "Alright, I'll tell you." he then shoots a stern look. "But it's kind of a secret, so you can't tell anyone else. Got it? Not many people know about this so I need you to promise me, okay?" Victor points up at the ceiling, face blank. "If you break your promise, the Gods from above will come down and feast upon your very soul! Liars don't deserve to keep their souls if they can't even keep a simple promise!" he lowered his voice to sound more threatening, wriggling his fingers to try and spook Yuuri. But he didn't even look scared in the slightest.  
"That's not true and we both know it." he spoke blandly. 

Victor dropped his hands and slouched. "Darn, you're smarter than I thought."

He sat straight again, bringing an index finger to his lips.  
"Let's see...how do I explain this?" he closed his eyes and curled his finger back into his fist. He was silent for a moment and Yuuri was startled when he opened his eyes quickly, slamming his fist into the palm of his other hand.  
"I'll just start from the beginning!"  
He reached into the mini pouch and pulls out the Dragon Ball with 6 stars, holding it up for Yuuri to see. 

"This is the Six-Star Dragon Ball. It's the first Dragon Ball that I had found. It was by complete accident too!" he puts it back away and reaches back to pull his hair over his shoulder. "I found it in one of our old storage closets back home at Capsule Corp you see. I don't remember why I was there, but I did find the Dragon Ball in that closet. It was so beautiful and when I asked my father about it, he didn't know what it was either." he slowly began to rake his fingers through his hair, combing through tangles that he had no trouble with.   
"So, I did some digging. It was really hard, believe me. No matter what I searched, I couldn't find any results at all!" Victor puffed out his cheeks when he said that, throwing his arms out in the air to emphasize just how crazy it was. Yuuri flinched slightly at the sudden action. Victor noticed the flinch and dropped his arms with a sheepish smile.  
"It took some time but I eventually found a book all about it! It was old and the pages were worn and torn, but I was able to get the gist of it." 

"They were called Dragon Balls. Shining orange orbs with a specific number of red stars floating inside. There are 7 total, all scattered across the world! And according to the book, if you collect all 7, you can have your wish granted by the almighty eternal dragon, Shenron!" his eyes glistened and his mouth took more of a heart shape as he continued speaking.  
"That sounded amazing! A dragon that could grant any wish you wanted? I wanted to see that dragon more than anything in the world!"   
Victor reached into the pocket of the robes he wore, pulling out the Dragon Radar. He held it up and stared at the blank black screen. " So I made this beauty.  To help me in my journey to find all seven Dragon Balls." he looks over at Yuuri, a gleam of hope in his eyes.  
"So please, Yuuri, let me have your Dragon Ball. To meet the dragon and have my wish granted."

Yuuri felt his breath hitch at the solemn expression on the older boys face. The hope in his bright eyes were affecting him. Yuuri turned away, his gaze landing on the catcus on his desk. His mouth felt dry and he ran the tip of his tongue along the roof of his mouth before sliding his wet muscle along his top set of incisors. 

A dragon that can grant wishes? The thought of something like that existing was simply nonsensical. It would've been so useful though.  
If it did exist, no way something as mystical and as charitable as that would be kept secret? Everyone should have known of it's existence. 

Yuuri clenched his eyes shut tight as he reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. Can children have migraines? Is there an age where you start getting them? Because Yuuri feels a big one coming on.

He breathed once, twice, before he sighs and drops his hand. He slowly peeled his eyes open and looked over at Victor, who gazed at him expectantly.

"Victor, I..." Yuuri's words faltered. No, he had to give an answer. He slowly shook his head, brows furrowed and eyes wide behind his blue frames. He inhaled deeply until his throat became dry before exhaling loudly.  
"I'm sorry. I can't give you my Dragon Ball. That story sounds nice and all, but how can you actually believe in something like that? Where's the proof that they've been used before?" he sat and waited for Victor to reply. It took a while, since Victor was deep in thought, trying to remember. Having such a serious look on his face didn't really suit him. If you were to ask Yuuri, he looks so much better smiling and laughing. Even thought he was older by four years, Victor was still more or less a kid.

"Oh, now I remember! The last ones to use the Dragon Balls had wished to become royalty! Get this, they were anthropomorphic dogs." Victor leaned closer, putting a hand over his mouth to try and block any stray ears from hearing despite the bedroom door being closed.   
"Doesn't that remind you of a certain King of ours?" 

Yuuri's eyes widened and he brought a hand up to stifle a gasp. The Kings family have used these Dragon Balls? For something as selfish as fame? He just couldn't believe something like that.

As Yuuri continued to process the information, Victor sat back, watching the younger boy for a moment. He wanted to ask again, but somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew Yuuri would deny him possession of the Dragon Ball. A friend gave it to him he said? 

Victor's only friend was Georgi, a boy who lived in Capsule Corp as well since his father works for Victor's own father. The only gift Georgi gave him (that he can remember) was his half eaten peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He knew damn well that Victor did not like jelly whatsoever. He wasn't a fan of any types of preserves at all. And he wasn't too keen on peanut butter either. It was too sticky.

It wouldn't hurt to give him the Dragon Ball though, would it? The friend Yuuri mentioned didn't have to know. Victor had a feeling if he were to say that out loud, he would have to start from square one in trying to convince Yuuri to give him the Dragon Ball. He'll keep his lips shut on that one.  
Still, there had to be something he can do to have Yuuri give him that Dragon Ball. Yuuri said he didn't want any money. Victor offered a lot too, which automatically got shot down. He might not get a yes even if he were to add another zero. No way was Victor going to steal it. That would be cruel and Victor wasn't that type of person. The guilt would be too much. He won't use force either. He wanted to hit himself for thinking of that option at all. Even thought Victor knew the strength he himself had. He wouldn't do that to little Yuuri.

Still, there had to be something he could do.

He did a look over on Yuuri again, who looked like he was having his own battle in his head as he looked down at the Dragon Ball he had clutched in his hands.  
He was a charming little boy. Polite, had manners, and listened to his mother (listened to his mother!). Victor can't remember the last time he listened to a request his own mother had given him.   
Yuuri looks like a great person to talk to. It's always nice to have company. Especially after being alone for awhile. It's only been two weeks since Victor started his journey, but even he gets lonely. He was sad when he knew he couldn't even bring his precious Makkachin along with him.

A thought started to form in his mind.

Maybe. Just maybe...

"How about you come along with me then?"

Yuuri jumps and looks at Victor as if he had grown a second head.  
"Wha-!?"

Victor stands from the bed, leaving his belongings on the mattress. He began to pace back and forth, hands on his hips.  
"Yes, that's it! You can come along with me! That way you can still keep a hold of your Dragon Ball until we collect them all! Then when it's all over, you can have it back! That's a perfect idea!" he turns towards Yuuri expectantly, throwing out his arms.  
"Well? What do you think? Not a bad idea right?" he crosses his arms, closing his eyes with a smile.  
"Go on, tell me that's a great idea." the praise never came though.

"V-Victor, what kind of idea is that? I can't just leave like that out of the blue! What would my parents think?" Yuuri shouts as he too stands from the bed. He stared up at the older boy with his clenched hands at his chest. "Do you think they would actually let me leave?"

"Well, that's nothing a little persuasion can't fix." Victor replies before the smile on his face grew bigger, showing more of his perfect white teeth. "Say, I didn't even hear a 'no'. Is there a chance that you aren't against the idea of going with me?"

Yuuri took a step back, realizing that he did not in fact say no. Truthfully, for like, five seconds, he did consider telling him no. Then, his mind did a complete 360 and a part of him wondered why the offer was now so tempting. 

Yuuri has lived in Hasetsu his whole life. He has never left this sea side town. Only once when he went with Toshiya to West City, but something must have happened then, for Yuuri never left again. Due to how young he was as the time, he couldn't remember. And Toshiya never told him. To have the chance to leave and explore, it got his heart racing. 

"I..." Yuuri shrugged, looking down at the floor. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he wasn't against the idea at all. A part of him was excited and he just didn't know why.  
"I'm...not. Not at all, really." Yuuri dropped his hands from his chest and looked up at Victor. He looked him straight in the eye. He made sure to clear his throat before he spoke.  
"Yes, I want to go along with you. Please take me."

Victor's eyes grew wide and were practically sparkling. His smile was so bright that Yuuri had to struggle not to turn away.  
"Great! Oh man, a traveling buddy!" Victor leaps at Yuuri, picking him up by his sides and spinning him, laughing all while doing so. He blatantly ignored Yuuri's flustered yells to put him down.  
"This'll be fun! You can see the world with me! We can have late night talks! Talks about our feelings! It'll be like having a sleepover everyday! I've never had a sleepover before!"

His laughter gets cut off as Yuuri's bedroom door slides open, and Toshiya pokes his head in. He laughs at the two boys before speaking.  
"I was wondering where you were, Yuuri. Come on, you mom is already done with dinner."

At the mention of dinner, Yuuri's belly chooses the growl again. It echoed throughout the room and Victor felt how powerful it was as little vibrations traveled up his arms. He laughed once more before placing Yuuri back down, ruffling his hair afterwards.  
"I'll be in my room. We can talk to your parents after you're finished eating." he gathers his things from Yuuri's bed, turning afterwards to leave the room. He nods at Toshiya as he passes by with a smile. 

Yuuri's father waits for the silver haired teen to leave before turning towards his son. He looked at his Yuuri for a moment, an almost quizzical expression on his face. When he sees his son looking back at him in confusion, he smiles and beckons him forward.  
"Come on, let's go eat before the food gets cold."

The walk down the dimly lit hall was quiet for a minute, no words being exchanged between father and son. Yuuri looked on ahead as he walked, comfortable with the silence as he easily kept up a pace to walk alongside Toshiya. His bare feet made small 'tmp'ing noises as they padded along on the waxed wooden floors.

Toshiya kept on glancing at Yuuri from the corner of his eye but either he didn't notice the glances, or he was purposely ignoring them.

As they began to walk down the stairs, Toshiya spoke up after clearing his throat, gaining Yuuri's attention.  
"I heard you and Victor talking."

  
Yuuri whips his head up, looking at his father in shock.  
"You know who he is?" he stops on the fifth step, covering his mouth with his hands. "You heard us?" his next question was muffled by his palms.

Toshiya laughs, pushing his glasses up yhe bridge of his nose.

"I'm not mad, Yuuri. And I wasn't gonna tell you no, either." he crosses his arms as he smiles at his son. Toshiya was a man who always smiled. Most of the wrinkles on his face came from him smiling all the time. He was never one to yell, or to get angry. Neither was Hiroko.

Whenever Yuuri or Mari got into trouble, they would get stern scoldings. They would have their favorite toy get taken away. But never, not even once, had his parents raised their voice nor a hand. They have never been struck before like some other children have. Both Yuuri and Mari grew up to be good kids because of how they were raised. Yuuri was truthfully glad.

"Wait...what?" Yuuri pulled his fingers away slightly from his mouth, fingers curling. "You're...not going to tell me no?" he asked incredulously. Of all things, he would have thought his father would put his foot down with this, and Yuuri would have to actually beg. Yuuri's never really begged for anything. Food was one thing but that's an entirely different story.

But then again, unlike Hiroko, Toshiya was more laid back. He kept secrets for his children, and would lie sometimes to get them out of trouble. If he sees you're not the one in the wrong, he'll support you one hundred percent of the way. Like a couple years back, he helped Mari vandalize this woman's car because she had badmouthed Yuuri. Thought everyone but Yuuri knew of that. Who knew tar could be so useful?

Toshiya laughs, a deep hearty noise that's so powerful his shoulders shake. He takes off his glasses to wipe away slight tears that had formed.

"Oh, Yuuri. No, nothing like that. Though I must say I'm surprised you had agreed so quickly. You never were one to make quick decisions." He continues to walk down the steps, a small smile on his face as he heard Yuuri begin to trail behind him.  
"But are you absolutely positive you want to go with Victor Nikiforov?"

"I," Yuuri stops when they make it to the bottom of the stairs. Once Toshiya was out of the way, Yuuri hopped off of the second step before looking up at his father. Thought he was looking up at him, he refused to meet his gaze. He focused on the rims of his glasses instead.  
"I really do. For some reason, a part of me was excited. Excited to leave home and leave with a boy who I had only met a few hours before." He cups his cheeks with his hands, laughing as he looks away. "That's so weird to say to be honest." his tail timidly wagged back and forth as he spoke.

Toshiya shakes his head as he led his son to the private family dining room. "No, not really. It just proves that you picked up a trait of mine while you were growing up."

"That trait being?"

"Making quick decisions that may or may not have an effect on your future."

"Is that really a trait?" Yuuri asks as he and Toshiya stop right in front of the door way of the dining room. Yuuri could already smell the delicious foods that his mother had made. The scents wafted by his nostrils and the absolutely divine aroma made his mouth water like Kegon Falls.

Toshiya shrugs before walking in the dining room. "I don't know. I didn't finish school since I had to take up the family business early." He turns and flashes a smile. "Ask your mother if you really wanna know."

By the time Yuuri walked in, the dishes had all been layed out on the table. Mari was already sitting on her legs, patiently waiting to eat. 

Yuuri and Toshiya sat, and Hiroko soon joined them after serving the beverages. Once given the okay, Yuuri had quickly dug into his meals.  
Hiroko had made an assortment of dishes, all ranging from gyoza, to simple udon soups, and to (his absolute favorite) bowls of Katsudon. Whichever dish he first laid eyes on, would be the first to go, deep into the dark never ending abyss known as his belly.

When it came to eating, Yuuri loved to eat with other people. Whether it be one other person or a group. After getting over the slight embarrassment of how he ate, being in the company of others made him happy. It gave him the small humbly rumblies.

As Yuuri ate, he noticed his mother and father having a hushed conversation on the other side of the table. He could see them glancing in his direction a couple times, and Yuuri felt his motions slow as he ate. He was sure he saw Mari shooting him a strange look out of the corner of his eye, but he chose to not meet her gaze. Mari simply shrugged and resumed in eating her own dinner.

Yuuri had to try his best not to overhear with his heightened sense of hearing. It proved difficult, but after making sure to focus on his dinner, the strong sense of hunger completely overwhelmed his sense of hearing.

But alas, a couple bites later, Yuuri halted when he realized just what his parents might have been talking about. His father could have possibly brought up the topic of his conversation with Victor.  
Yuuri swallowed his bite of hiyayakko without chewing, but thankfully it was soft, so the cold tofu was able to easily slide in between his tonsils and down his throat.

A heavy feeling began to form in his belly and he was aware of the surprised look Mari shot him as he placed his chopsticks down, the wood lightly clacking against the white glass of plates. His thoughts were confirmed as he finally zoned in on their conversation. Whether it was a coincidence or not, he has just heard their final words to each other before he watched them both turn to look at him.

Despite knowing Toshiya's opinion on the matter, Yuuri felt himself shrink under Hiroko's gaze. Even with his father giving him the okay, it shall always be the mother who gets the final say on the matter.

"Mari," Hiroko starts, quickly turning to look at her daughter, "why don't you go and eat in your room so your father and I can talk to Yuuri?" her tone was light, and there was a small smile on her face. She didn't look mad. Yuuri couldn't see anything hidden in her eyes either. 

Mari choked on her bite of Katsudon before looking at Hiroko with wide eyes. "Seriously?" Hiroko never allowed Yuuri nor Mari to eat in their rooms, incase something were to spill. Without waiting for a confirmation, Mari ran into the kitchen for a tray before placing her half eaten dishes on it. Yuuri heard her knees crack as she stood, carefully balancing the tray in her hands. Before she left, Mari lightly whispered a "Good luck." before she walked out of the dining room. She must've thought Yuuri was in trouble since they wanted to talk to him alone. Truthfully, Yuuri felt like he was.

Yuuri swallowed a lump in his throat as Hiroko looked back at him. Toshiya didn't speak and instead began to eat his untouched plate. It might of been Yuuri's imagination, but he could have sworn he saw his fathers lip twitch into that of a smile. Hiroko pushes her plate to the side, along with the appetizers, before placing her elbows on the low table and resting her chin on her hands. It was against basic table manners to put your elbows on the table, so Yuuri felt his gut clench at the sight of his mother not following said manners.

"Yuuri," she starts, voice low and gentle. "I just had an interesting conversation with your father. Is what he said true? About you wanting to leave with Vicchan?" Ah, so Hiroko already gave him a nickname? After their own Vicchan no less? Yuuri shook the thought away before nodding, as slow as one could. His eyes were downcast, and he watched as he moved his hands closer on his lap, lacing his fingers together tight like a knot.

Hiroko must've sensed his distress, thanks to her motherly senses, for she dropped her hands and took her elbows off the table before smiling gently.  
"I'm not mad at you Yuuri." her tone was sweet and it had Yuuri snapping his gaze up to meet his mothers gaze. He shakily exhaled before giving a timid smile. "Y-you're not?"

Hiroko shook her head. "But," she began, "Your father told me that you seemed to really want to go. It's just," she crosses her arms, smile faltering just a bit. "It's not my place to stop you. But the thought of you leaving where anyone can hurt you, could make fun of you for your tail, it's... It makes me sick just thinking about it." Wait. Did she just say it wasn't her place to stop him. Of course it was her place! 

"What do you mean?" Yuuri starts, voice low. "You're my mom! Of course it's your place! You have every right to stop me!" his voice grew at the end, hands untangling and lay clenched on his thighs. Hiroko made a noise of surprise, eyes widening just a bit. 

"I'm not worried about what other people think!" he reached behind himself to grab his tail before placing it on his lap. "I...I don't care what anyone has to say about my tail. I was born with it. My family loves me even though I have this, and everyone in Hasetsu doesn't judge me anymore because they know I'm not some weirdo. I'm a regular boy, after all. I'm human, just like everyone else. That's...that's enough for me." with his gazed fixed on his furry appendage, Yuuri didn't notice the sad look his parents exchanged with each other.

"Besides," he continued, gently stroking his tail. "I sort of owe Victor after all. It was my fault that we got into that little accident."

"Wait," Toshiya starts, a noodle hanging from his mouth "What accident?"

Hiroko quickly smacks his arm for interrupting.

"I just need to help him. Not to do anything bad, of course not. I just need to help him find something, and then I'll come back. I don't know when, but soon." Yuuri continues, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at his parents antics. Listening to them going at it (*wink wink*) was certainly something he wouldn't mind leaving actually. 

"But wait," Hiroko puts a hand on her chin, a thought dawning on her. "What about school?"

"I don't think that's something you should worry about."

The three Katsukis pause and slowly turn towards the entrance of the dining room, where none other than Victor Nikiforov stood, a large smile on his face.

"Doesn't the school here have one more week left until summer break?" he walks fully into the dining room, making himself comfortable next to Yuuri. The younger boy notices Victor has rebraided his hair, throwing it once more over his shoulder.

"Besides, on the final days of school, don't the kids just do fun activities and crafts? I'm sure he's not going to miss out on much." Victor hugged his knees to his chest, rocking side to side with a smile. "And of course we wouldn't have to worry about summer break. By chance, if we're still gone by the time school starts back up for him, I can teach him everything I know!"

Yuuri jumped, looking at Victor with wide eyes. "Eh!? We'd actually be gone that long?" he points a finger at him, sitting high on his knees and leaning forward with his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. "What about you? Don't you have school as well? How can you possibly teach me something when you're not much older than me?"

Victor stops his rocking and looks at Yuuri in confusion. "What?" he blinks and tilts his head. "I graduated college two years ago." he spoke as if Yuuri should have known that. That what he had just said was something that was common knowledge. Yuuri, however, did not know that.

"Hah!?" he somehow lost his balance and fell to the side with a small "oomph". A second passed before Yuuri quickly scrambled to sit upright again. "Two years ago! But you're only sixteen!" he quickly holds up his left hand, curling in his thumb so only the other four fingers were extended. "That means you were only fourteen years old when you graduated! How's that possible!?"

No way someone as childish as Victor was that smart. To graduate college of all things at the mere age of fourteen?? Is that even possible??

Victor pulls his knees away from his chest and instead crosses his legs, sitting in a criss cross fashion. "It's not impossible. I'm the son of the smartest man in the world after all. I didn't just waste my life sitting on my thumbs." he turns towards Yuuri's parents, Hiroko more specifically.

"You don't have to worry about Yuuri's safety either! Not only is my father the smartest, but he's also the strongest man that I know! He taught me everything I need to know, including how to defend myself." he flexes his left arm, patting his covered bicep with his right hand. "If anyone tries messing with Yuuri, I won't let them get away with it!" he quickly clapped Yuuri on the back, causing said boy to let out a surprised yelp. 

"He's my partner now! My comrad! I won't allow any of my comrades to get hurt, physically and mentally!" 

Yuuri slouched as he slowly rubbed at where Victor had smacked him on his back. He was certainly very ebullient and happy. Yuuri can't recall ever meeting someone who was as buoyant as he. Someone so...lively and enthusiastic.

Across the table, Toshiya shakes his head with a small laugh.

"Wow, Valentin," he starts off quietly, looking at his half eaten plate, "you certainly raised a good son."

"Hm?" Victor looks up at Toshiya with his heart shaped smile. "Do you by chance know my father?" he sounded giddy. Of course everyone knew his father, but to Victor, what Toshiya said and how he said it made it seem he knew Valentin on some sort of personal level. It sounded like genuine awe and pride.

Toshiha slightly jumped, caught off gaurd by the sudden question. He quickly shakes his head, picking back up his chopstick and stabbing at his dish. 

"Haha! Me? Know Valentin Nikiforov?? That's absurd! Of course I don't know him!" is it possible for someone to start sweating bullets despite the temperature being considerably normal? Yuuri watched his father continue to stab at his food.

"I mean- of course I know him! Everyone knows him! I-I just think it's admirable on how well he raised his child! I mean- I wish I could follow his example in raising my own-" he quickly looks at Yuuri who stared back with a look of disappointment. Toshiya squealed- actually squealed- before shoving a handful of noodles into his mouth to shut himself off before loudly chewing. Through his chewing, he loudly commented on how delicious Hiroko cooked, though it was a bit muffled from all of the noodles in his mouth. 

Hiroko looked on at her husband with a closed eyed smile, nervously laughing. She looked back at her son, coughing into her fist. "Anyways, Vicchan, I appreciate your devotion. But Yuuri," her brows were furrowed as she talked "I want to know, if you really want to leave. I know I can't stop you if you do."

Yuuri nods, fists clenched. "I do! I'll be back before you even know it!" he smiles, gesturing to all of his food on the table. He had finished 3/4 of the entire thing. In just a short amount of time too. Considering the predicament he was in right now, he wasn't so sure to he could eat the rest. Especially when it felt like there was a giant knot in his belly. "And you won't have to cook for me for awhile! I know providing me with meals is hard, considering my appetite. I get that it's tiring, and you deserve a break!" If it weren't for the dishes in his way, he would have reached across the table for his mothers hand. Instead of doing that, he settled with a warm smile. "I want to go. So trust me, okay?"

A small silence followed. Hiroko looked at Yuuri for a moment before rising to her feet, wiping off nonexistent dirt from her bottom. She bent down to retrieve her dishes before walking to the kitchen.  
"When are you planning to leave?" she asked Victor before disappearing into the other room. She had given them her blessing. Realizing this, Victor jumps up and chases after her, looking excited.

"Well, I was hoping we could leave tonight, but I suppose we can leave early in the morning if-." his voice eventually grew smaller as he followed the older woman.  
Yuuri quickly realized that Hiroko never once touched her food.

From where he sat, Toshiya coughed, gaining the young boys attention. He realized Toshiya coughed because he choked on a noodle, not because he wanted the young boy to be aware of him. However, that didn't mean he had nothing to say.

"Say, Yuuri," Toshiya began to collect his dishes. Once they were stacked upon each other, he still sat, looking at his son. There was a slight hesitation after speaking his name, so Yuuri motioned for him to continue.

"I don't know if you're going to be leaving tonight. I definitely won't be able to tell you this in the morning. If Victor is anything like Valentin, if he has his mind set on something, chances are he'll be waking early to hit the road. I'll probably still be asleep by then." How would he know that? How would he know what Valentin Nikiforov was like? "If you ever hear the name Yakov, it would be a good idea to find and meet him."

"Yakov?" Yuuri asks. Who was Yakov? That was such an odd thing for Toshiya to say. To go find and meet somebody. Chances are that will never happen. Yuuri won't go out of his way to purposely find this Yakov person. However, should that name somehow pop up somewhere, he might ask around. But the objective is to help Victor find the last four Dragon Balls, since they have three already. That's all.

Toshiya's smile wasn't toothy like his other smiles. It was just a simple spread of his lips. It looked a little sad.

Balancing all of his dishes on one hand, Toshiya made sure to affectionately rub Yuuri's head before leaving to the kitchen. Victor seemed to have a knack for appearing at the worst or best times, for he left the kitchen as soon as Toshiya entered. He looked very happy. But then again, in the past few hours, he's looked nothing but.

"Wow! Your mom is so nice! She said we could leave tonight if you're up for it! What do you think?" he plopped down across from Yuuri rather than next to him. Yuuri was rather surprised she gave them the option to leave tonight instead of in the morning.

"I don't really mind. I'm surprised you wanna leave so quickly though. You certainly don't waste time huh?" Yuuri asks with a laugh. Victor laughs along with him. Good thing he didn't take any offence to that. If anything, he seemed to agree.

"Well," he shrugs after his laughter died down, "I know that you're parents are going to miss you alot, so we need to hurry up with our journey." He looks over at Yuuri's uneaten dishes before continuing. "Besides, I really wanna meet Shenron and have my wish granted. The sooner we find the Dragon Balls, the better."

Yuuri began to collect his finished dishes, stacking plated upon one another. Noticing this, Victor reaches out to help as well.

"That reminds me," Yuuri makes another stack of plates to carry, "when we do summon Shenron, what are you going to wish for?"

"That's a secret." Victor replied quickly. Yuuri spared a glance over at the older boy, who smiled back with furrowed brows.

"It's kind of embarrassing." he chuckled nervously. "I'm trying to keep an image you see."

Ahhh, not really?

Yuuri shook his head as he stood with a couple stacks of plates. Victor stood as well, his hands stacked with dishes. 

Hiroko always did the dishes. It's a lot of dishes, but she says she can do them all by herself. Whenever someone offered to help, she would smile and shake her head, giving them a soft "No, that's quite alright."

Yuuri remembered, a couple years back, when he had curiously asked why she never accepted anyones help. He sat on the counter beside the sink, legs swinging as had he sipped on a grape juice box.

Hiroko had paused in washing, turning off the faucet and wiping her hands on her clothes that were already soaked from water before turning towards a younger Yuuri. She squezes his cheeks with a smile.

" _I don't accept help because doing the dishes is the best time for Mama to think_."

Younger Yuuri didn't really understand. But now, seeing her looking so focused as she scrubbed at a plate, he understood. 

Coming close, he noted that Hiroko was so very deep in though. She didn't spare a glance in his direction, even as he placed the dishes beside her on the counter. Even as he lightly patted her arm. If he knew any better, it was a safe bet to say that she was thinking about what had just happened during dinner.

Yuuri sighed before turning to one of the drawers, where he found a roll of foil. He handed it towards Victor after he placed his own stack of dishes down. Taking the aluminum wrapping, Victor walks back out to cover the leftovers.

That just left Hiroko and Yuuri alone. Toshiya must've left through the other exit of the kitchen.

Exhaling loudly, Yuuri spoke. "Mom, I'm going to leave tonight with Victor. Okay?" a heart beat passed before Yuuri stepped forward to lightly tug on the sleeve of her maroon robes. "Okay?" he had asked again when she didn't respond the first time.

Arms shot out and pulled him close. Yuuri was pressed into all too familiar heat and he inhaled the familiar fragrance of floral perfume. As soon as the scent reached him, his arms had already wound up around a pudgy body, squeezing tight.

"Okay." Hiroko whispers into her sons hair, the warmth of her breath bathing the skin of his neck. 

"Okay." she repeats, pressing chapped lips onto his ebony locks as a kiss.

* * *

 

"Hey, is it true that you're leaving?" Yuuri looks up from putting spare clothes into his backpack. Mari leaned against his door frame, arms crossed. She had a conflicted expression on her face, with her lips pursed and brows furrowed. 

Yuuri realizes Mari didn't know anything. She was out of the loop. He feels his heart clench when he imagines just how crushed she must have looked when being told that her baby brother was leaving to who knows where with a boy he had just met, and that no one knew when he'd be back. 

"Y-yeah..." Yuuri nods, avoiding her gaze as he slides the Dragon Ball into his bag, next to a folded pair of pants and his toothbrush. Victor had told him to pack whatever was paramount. Whatever fit into a backpack. He would buy Yuuri anything he needed down the road.  

Mari uncrosses her arms and walks over, sitting on Yuuri's bed, ankles crossed. "Why didn't you tell me anything? I'm your sister, you know." she was doing a great job at hiding the hurt in her voice, though Yuuri knew it was there. They never did keep secrets from each other. Though Yuuri probably wouldn't consider this a secret. The thought of telling her just simply crossed his mind. 

"I know that. I'm really sorry." he sighs and zips up his backpack, slinging it over his shoulders. It wouldn't be long before he had to leave. Victor just had to get his things ready.

"You don't really have to go with him you know, if he's forcing you then-"

"I'm not being forced. I was the one who made the final decision after all. I wanted to go." Yuuri interrupts. He sits next to Mari on the bed, making sure to avoid sitting on a sleeping Vicchan. He gazes down at his hands in his lap. What exactly is Mari thinking right now?

"I mean-you don't have to leave tonight, right?" Mari quickly asks, voice high. Yuuri snaps his gaze up, eyes widening when he sees tears forming in his sisters eyes. Yuuri can't even remember the last time he had seen her cry. It was so long ago, for a stupid reason. She hasn't showed a weakness like this ever since.

"Mari-," "I don't want you to leave!" Mari's wails interrupt him. She presses her palms against her eyes and just cries, shoulders shaking.

"I don't w-want you to leave!" she cries again. She rubs her fingers against her eyes, trying to wipe away the tears that just won't stop falling. "If you leave, I won't be there to protect you! T-the world is so cruel, and they'll be mean to you! I d-don't want you to leave home!" Yuuri can't believe he forgot that she was an ugly crier.

Ever since he was young, before he started fending for himself, Mari was the one always by his side. Before Yuuko and Takeshi entered the picture, little Mari would fight every boy and girl who dare hurt her precious little brother. She never cared is she herself got hurt. If she got a black eye, or a busted lip, she would deem it worth it. If it meant protecting Yuuri from harm, then she didn't care if she got hurt. It was both admirable and stupid. 

He pulls her forward in a tight hug, letting her cry on his shoulder. The tears pooled out from her eyes and stained his pajama shirt. He didn't really care.  "It's okay Mari. Victor said he'll protect me so you don't have to worry."

' _I can handle myself too...'_

He sat waited for her to calm down, which, surprisingly didn't take that long. Mari slowly nods, signaling that she was alright.

Pulling away, Yuuri frantically looks around his room. He had no tissues for Mari to wipe away all that snot. See, this is the reason why he needs tissues at all times.

Deciding to just use a dirty shirt, he hands it over to his older sister, who takes it with a small "Thank you." She wipes the tears and snot from her chin before moving it up to her nose and blowing. With a smile, Yuuri reaches up and starts rubbing her head.

"Yuuri," Mari grumbles, voice nasally, "what are you doing?" Yuuri drops his hand, moving them to rest on his lap.

"It's just, I can't believe I'd ever see your ugly crying face again." he jokes. Mari frowns and lightly flicks his forehead. "Hey..." she warns before smiling lightly. A small silence follows before Mari sighs.

"How long will you be gone?" she asks, tossing the dirty shirt over her shoulder. Yuuri cringes when he sees it lands on the floor out of the corner of his eye. Hopefully Hiroko will do laundry soon and pick it up. It's not really his problem now. Turning back to Mari, he shrugs.

"Honestly? I'm not sure. I just need to help Victor find something, and then I'll be brought back home. Who knows how long that'll take." Victor did say they were scattered across the world. But, hopefully, if Lady Luck had a heart, then maybe the Dragon Balls will all be close by each other. Hopefully...

"Hey, on the bright side, you can sleep on my bed while I'm gone. You have my permission. " he holds up his left pinky with a closed eyed smile. "Okay?"

A beat passes in silence before Mari sniffles and nods. She gives her own smile and raises her hand, interlocking her pinky with his. "Yeah."

* * *

 

 

After that talk with Mari, and smothering Vicchan with all the love he had, he went downstairs. As he walked to the entrance, he bid the customers goodbye. Everyone replied, though the regulars were much more vocal than the others. He noticed his parents in the hall across the room. He could see Hiroko's eyes were puffy and red, but there was a small smile on her face as she waved. Toshiya had a much bigger smile, his arm slung around Hiroko's shoulders. Yuuri nods at them before turning, sliding the door open, and walking outside into the chilly night air.

There Victor stood, dressed in the attire he wore when they had met earlier. He was looking at the Dragon Radar, and didn't notice Yuuri until he heard the door close. He looks up and smiles. "All ready to go?" he slips the radar into the pouch connected to his pants. Yuuri nods and looks behind Victor's shoulder, noticing the new vehicle.

"You had another hover bike?" he asks. Victor swings his leg over and sits on the bike.

"I may have brought an extra just because." he says with a laugh. He revs up the engine, gloved hands turning the twistgrip on the right. It really was a beautiful sound. He looks over at Yuuri and holds out his hand. "Shall we?" his smile was more blinding than the sun. 

Yuuri takes a deep breath and steps closer, taking Victor's hand. However, as soon as their hands connected, Victor gripped his tightly and Yuuri yells as he's pulled through the air for only a few seconds. Victor had already begun to drive. Fast. And poor Yuuri was literally pulled with a strength he didn't know Victor had.

"V-Victor!" he yells, heart pounding as he falls to sit directly behind the silver haired teen.

Victor laughs loudly, going faster after he feels Yuuri securely wrap his arms around his waist. Buildings pass by in a blur, and Yuuri finds himself speechless at the speed they're going.

"That was dangerous!" Yuuri scolds once they leave the safe boundaries of Hasetsu, onto the dirt road in the forest that surrounds it. Through the darkness and trees, he could make out the beach. The sounds of waves crashing were loud enough for him to hear, and the smell of salt was strong enough for him to smell. For a moment, he feels the slightest bit hesitant. Was he really so sure he wanted this? To leave all this to help Victor find the Dragon Balls? To leave for who knows how long the life he was so used to? 

"Look up, Yuuri!" Victor yells, through the wind. "I think you might like what you'll see!" 

Yuuri looks at Victor's back with a quirked brow just as they leave the forest, revealing a vast area of green grass, trees scattered about. There were so many mountains in the distance. Yuuri had never been to the mountans before. He's heard great things about the stuff up there, and just how amazingly white the snow was. He takes in the view with an awed expression before remembering what Victor had told him. He tilts his head up and looks to the sky.

The sky was completely black, transparent clouds scattered like pieces of cotton on black cardboard. Stars...there were so many stars, like millions of tiny fireflies flying above and beyond. The sky expanded and was never ending. There was nothing to block off the rest of the view. Yuuri was able to see it all. 

To top it all off was the moon. A waxing crescent moon. Only once had Yuuri actually seen the moon, for he always hit the hay early, and falls asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. To be able to see the moon again...it was amazing.

"Well? Nice view, huh?" Victor calls, looking at Yuuri's expression from the side mirror.

 

Face flushed and eyes wide behind his glasses, Yuuri nods, staring up at that moon. He smiles.

 

"It's beautiful."

**Author's Note:**

> Eyy here's the end. I hope you guys enjoyed this story!  
> If you guys wanna see something happen, leave me a message on Twitter @CabbageLord1 as well as on Tumblr @protectcabba2k. Dragon Ball is the time where everyone is a little shit, and does stupid shit (whenever they're not gonna be kicking ass *cough*) I will also answer any questions you have, so ask away!  
> But, if you don't wanna leave a message, then just stop by and say hello! I really enjoy meeting new people!


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